Utah Department of Public Safety

Keep it Positive: Road Respect Program Encourages Everyone to Share the Road

As summer starts, rides and community events come to Wasatch and Davis Counties

Utah, June 9, 2016 – The warm summer weather is here and more bikes are out on Utah’s roads. Every day, Utah drivers and cyclists meet in potentially life-threatening situations thousands of times a day. To help make sure both drivers and cyclists get home safely, the Road Respect program will hold its northern Utah tour on June 9^th and 11^th featuring rides and community events in Midway, Heber and throughout Davis County. The Road Respect program is dedicated to promoting bicycling and improving safety by educating both drivers and cyclists about the rules of the road and encouraging mutual respect.

To encourage safe cycling and to promote positive interactions between bicyclists and drivers, the Utah Department of Transportation, the Department of Public Safety, Utah Highway Patrol, Zero Fatalities, and Bike Utah are holding rides and community events. The goal of the tour is to encourage bicycling, demonstrate obedience to the law, show proper car/bicycling etiquette, support local tourism, and create conversation.

Heber City, Fruit Heights, Farmington and Kaysville will be recognized as Road Respect Communities. The Road Respect Community Program provides local governments with support for their bicycle planning efforts by helping to generate ideas and providing guidance that will ultimately lead to a more bicycle friendly environment. It highlights the communities that are taking action to support the Road Respect message and ultimately become an example for other communities in Utah.

The Road Respect program is in its sixth year and is based on the following tenants:

Vision:  A safe and respectful environment for all users of Utah’s transportation system including, but not limited to, motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians.

Mission:  Increase safety and promote respect among roadway users.

We will accomplish our Vision and Mission by:

• Encouraging integrated transportation planning
• Supporting healthy communities
• Promoting tourism and recreation
• Enhancing law enforcement through education and enforcement
• Educating bicyclists

For more information on the Road Respect program, visit http://roadrespect.utah.gov .

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